RAILA SAYS THE GRAND COALITION GOVERNMENT IS SET TO BOOST ECONOMIC GROWTH OF WESTERN KENYA.
By Leo Odera Omolo
Parts of the previously marginalized western regions should expect increased development activities in the near future and will never be kept in isolation again.
The Prime Minister Raila Amolo Odinga declared this before a mammoth crowd of enthusiastic supporters who thronged this year’s ASK Agricultural Show at the Mamboleo Show Ground in the outskirts of Kisumu City at the weekend.
The function was Mr. Odinga’s first major official engagement inside Luo-Nyanza when he officially declared the Show open amid prolonged applause and ululations and shouts of “Agwambo, Agwamboâ€.
He said the region had suffered economic isolation under successive regimes over the years, but the grand coalition would ensure this is never repeated again.
“I am well aware that this region from economic marginalization over the years, as borne out by a number of studies by the Planning Ministry over the years,†said the P.M.
Mr. Odinga made what political pundits and observers alike termed as a major policy speech when he presided over his first official function in his Nyanza home turf since becoming Prime Minister under the Grand Coalition government accord..
Raila’s entourage which was made up of more than a dozen cabinet ministers, assistant ministers, MPs and top government officials had a lot of difficulties accessing the Show ground, a five minute drive from Kisumu City Center. Huge crowds made it nightmare for “Agwambo’s†convoy to maneuver its way around the lakeside city.
The area is perceived to be the bedrock of his political support and it proved this beyond any reasonable doubt when the city streets were jumped to capacity all along from the airport to the city centre from as early as 8.am in the morning. The police had hard time keeping vigil to ensure the function was incident free.
Raila promised his audience that he would act tough and precisely against corruption, land grabbing, insecurity and also tackle the issue of poor infrastructure, which hinders investment in Kenya.
“Any government officer found to be involved in corrupt practices will go home,†declared Mr. Odinga, adding that with the upgrading of Kisumu Airport, which was now due, Western Kenya would be opened and linked to the wider world.
The Prime Minister urged the residents to monitor International trade trends and identify areas they could exploit to the maximum..
Raila said the recently released HIV and AIDS prevalence report had put Luo-Nyanza on top. He appealed to the residents to take necessary precautions to reduce infections. Among recommendation he made was the need for male voluntary circumcision
The PM promised to write off the Kshs 47 billion owed to the Agricultural Finance Corporation, a parastatal organization by Sugar Millers as one way of resuscitating the ailing sugar industry. And at the same time he told Sugar Cane farmers in the Western region that the government would arrange affordable credit for them to increase their yield.
Raila praised the recent regulations on the importation of sugar into the country and expressed full support on action recently taken by the Minister for Agriculture William Ruto who had imposed a total ban on Sugar imports to curb illegal stocks that sell cheaply at the expense of local produce.
The PM gave a stern warning that the government would use its agencies to impound and burn illegal sugar stocks sourced from the outside country.
Nyanza province, said Raila, was especially segregated during the Kenyatta era following disagreement between the first vice President Jaramogi Oginga Odinga and the founding President Jomo Kenyatta. The region, he added, was further shunned by the Moi administration as its leader allegedly engaged in “bad†politics.
Odinga disclosed that an investment conference like the one he attended in London last week be replicated in Kisumu City to “ showcase what this region can offer to those who seek to partner with usâ€.
The PM also disclosed that the grand coalition government was planning priority on health, cooperative and irrigation projects to quickly address challenges constraining economic productivity in Western Kenya.
Mr. Odinga also asked insurance Companies to compensate people who incurred losses in Post-election violence.
Many people had suffered losses, but had yet to be compensated. More than 100 were shot dead and hundreds of businesses suffered severe damage in the aftermath of looting spree.
Present at the function were Ministers William Ruto (Agriculture), Dalmas Otieno (Public Service), James Orengo(Lands), Dr. Paul Otuoma (Fishaeries), a host of Local MPs and ASK Kisumu branch officials led by Mr. Rhida Ahonobadha.
This year’s Kisumu ASK Show’s theme is “Empowering people through growth in Agricultureâ€.
The Prime Minister also paid homage to the family of the late elderly and respected church leader Pastor Mathayo Wandiga who was given a fitting sending off burial at his home in Simbi village in Central Karachuonyo in Rachuonyo District where he addressed thousands of mourners.
The late Mzee Wandiga is one of the pioneer preachers in the area with SDA church and was the father of Prof. Shem Wandiga of the university of Nairobi’s department of Applied sciences the late Dan Okwatch and Simmy Wangiga among others. He was a highly respected church elders who preached the word of gospel in the region for well over 60 years..
End.
Leooderaomolo@yahoo.com
THE EAST AFRICAN BUSINESS SUMMIT HELD IN KAMPALA CALLED FOR HARMONIZATION OF TRADE AND COMPETITIVINESS
By Leo Odera Omolo
More the 150 business leaders from across East Africa recently gathered in the Ugandan Capital City of Kampala to deliberate on how the region could become more competitive in the global arena.
The East African Business Summit was held between July 19th and 20th 2008.
These business leaders were joined in their deliberation by a number of ministers and other public sector players.
For the East African region competitive, individual corporate players would need to be competitive. The CEOs present undertook to build into their business plan messages from the Kampala summit.
But for the countries and the region to be competitive, the business community and governments need to engage in dialogue and to collaborate in bringing about the desired change.
The business leaders identified the need to prioritize actions to be undertaken and to restrict themselves to a small number of cross-cutting, regional issues that they are able to do something about.
The Kampala meeting resolved to put together a “Round Table†made up of 5 summit participants from each of the countries to do the following:
Be catalyst for the setting up of “Round Table†grouping in their respective countries to engage the Presidents quarterly on major issues affecting the competitiveness of the region.
Learn from the “Round Table†groupings in other countries in their regions and share best practice.
Form a regional “Round Table†made up of the country “Round Table†grouping for the purpose of harmonizing their approach to over-arching issues.
Seek audience with the presidents of the five countries before the end of the calendar year to present the outcomes of the Kampala meeting, what they are doing about it and the area where the intervention of the political leaders is required.
The conference identified a number of “low hanging fruits†that the regional “Round Table†should prioritize. These are the following:
urgent extension of working hours (probably to 24 hours a day) at border crossing points and the standardization of documentation in order to facilitate movements of goods and services.
The urgent updating signing implementation of double taxation protocols among the East African states.
The introduction of one visa for all visitors to East Africa, in order to enhance the attractiveness of the region as a tourist and business meetings destination.
The urgent removal of barriers to the free movement and employment of East African human capital within East Africa.
As far as the longer term initiatives to make the region more competitive are concerned, the meeting considered the improvement of the railway and road network, ports, and energy as priority number one. In this regard, the regional “table†will engage political leaders from the following far-reaching plans:
the need to plan and develop seamless and standardized arterial rail and road network on a regional basis, not on a country basis. This should be done through regional rail and road boards.
The possible use of professionals in the military to fast-track the building of roads.
The need to enhance efficiency at the ports through concessioning, and finally the urgent need to make investments now to increase power generation to meet the future needs of the region and to distribute the power efficiency across the region.
Sponsors of the Business Summit were Standard Bank Group, Equity Bank, Kenya Railways, Celtel, Mac Group (Exim Bank), Bidco while the official knowledge partners include Strathmore Business School, Kenya Airways, Interbranding Sampson, Skynet Worlwide Express.
The six joint conveners Mr. Richard Ndung’u of KPMA, Mr. Charles Muchene of PWC, Mr. Linus Gitahi of the Nation Media Group and Mr. Ade Agegenui of Citi, Mr. Mahamud Jan Mohammed of Serena Hotel and Mr. Joe Wangai of Deloitte.
End.
leooderaomolo@yahoo.com
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Date: Tue, 5 Aug 2008 02:09:33 -0700 (PDT)
From: Leo Odera Omolo
Subject: RAILA PROMISED THE PEOPLE OF WESTERN KENYA MASSIVE DEVELOPMENT
He has finally woken up from cozying with Kikuyu’s. Keep Up Agwambo; you have reignited the relevance that has kept you to be the most adept, informed, beloveth, astute, and shrewd politician in Kenya. Hope Agwambo walks the talk immediately.
raila is doing well so far what he needs to do is toensure that kibaki is informed of what he does all the time and he will definately be having a head start on all government operations very soon.moreover people like head of public service will be rendered irrelvant
Politics is a strange occupation. One can promise heaven on earth. I only hope that Raila knows what he is talking about and that development is not in the hands of one person. He will have to lisise with the relevant Ministries and organs of the Government. He should also be aware that there are still many people who would like to see him fail.
For one I am worried Raila seems to talk too much where a spokesman would have done the job!! He will be caught using his own words. But I d not want to be pessimistic. Things have changed over time and we might just be over the threshold of development. But I can dare tell everyone it will not be easy for Raila to undo the wrongs created over years by the power barons – starting with Kenyatta to Moi and Kibaki regimes.
Western Kenya can only get out of poverty by supporting Raila and charting their own development agenda. I pray that the Nyanza Economic forum will come out with its own Marshall plan. This will add value to Raila’s vision and committment to re-ignite development in the region. We have suffered enough and things have to change.
We must all come out to pursue development agenda for our
region.It should not be left to Raila alone.He has create a good
political atmosphere for all kenyans to work hard and be rewarded.We should not agree to be exploited by others
when can also do it.
Kenyans should work hard to eliminate corruption to some extend inorder to reduce business expenses which is a hinderance to general development of a region.The corrupt
people should be isolated inorder to shame them. Most of these
corrupt leaders are predenters as born again christains. If they
are isolated their satanic deals will be exposed .
I will have to grow sugarcane and accumulate money like he did. Food crops should also be taken seriously though….